**7. Conclusion**

The United States has only a handful of local breeds of goats that have a history of long standing. These few have been important contributors to goat production in the country, which has generally been at a fairly low level but is now increasing dramatically. These breeds, especially Spanish and Myotonic goats, are now finding acceptance and use in commercial goat production, which has worked to secure their numbers as well as the genetic structure of the breeds. This has depended on research into the true productive potential of these breeds, which is likely to be overlooked as increasing numbers of exotic resources are imported into the country. Fortunately research has documented the role that Spanish and Myotonic goats can play in rational production systems. As these breeds move from local resources to more broadly distribute, it will change their overall popularity and status among the genetic resources available to American goat producers.
